Will TMC Follow The Past Streak In Retaining All The 9 Constituencies Of Phase-7 In The Lok Sabha Election 2024?
The outcome of the nine constituencies will determine TMC”s ability to hold power in the face of competition from the Left-Congress coalition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On June 1, a total of 1.63 crore voters including 83.19 lakh men, 80.20 lakh women, and 538 members of the third gender are eligible to cast ballots at 17,470 polling stations in 9 constituencies.
The BJP is targeting problems like corruption, women”s safety, and opposition to political muscle-flexing are highly relevant in West Bengal. While to maintain its power, the TMC is depending on its developmental activities and the charm of its leaders.
Dum Dum Lok Sabha Constituency:
Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency remained a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) stronghold for several decades. However, since 2009, TMC”s Saugata Roy has kept the Dum Dum seat while CPI (M) has lost its winning streak in the constituency. Moreover, the BJP has successfully registered an uptick in its vote share.
The two factors are corruption and migration of workers that will decide the outcome in the Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency. The CPI (M) candidate Dr Sujan Chakraborty has promised to open the locked factories while Abhishek Banerjee has tried to woo Matuas in Dum Dum.
Barasat Lok Sabha Constituency:
Since the last 3 Lok Sabha elections Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a TMC candidate made a hat trick in the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency. As per the 2011 census, Muslim population is 25.82 percent of its total population. Here nearly 21.7 percent are SC voters, and 2.6 percent are ST voters. The Barasat constituency election race has become a four cornered battle as TMC, BJP, Congess and CPI (M) has fielded their candidates in the constituency. On one side, TMC outgoing MP Dastidar is confident about her developmental work, high muslim voters and TMC 2021 assembly performance in the Barasat. On other hand, the opposition iBJP is targeting Matua factor, CAA, corruption in the state machinery and women safety.
Basirhat Lok Sabha Constituency:
Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency comprises of 7 assembly regions including Baduria, Haroa, Minakhan, Sandeshkhali, Basirhat Dakshin, Basirhat Uttar, and Hingalganj – under TMC rule. From 1980 to 2009, the constituency has been a CPI stronghold and since 2009, TMC has took over the constituency. In 2019, Nusrat Jahan won with 54.56% votes while the BJP candidate secured 30.12% votes. The Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency has a significant proportion of Muslim and SC population at 21.7% and 25.82% respectively. The minority dominated constituency and the Sandeshkhali region, has become a microcosm of the broader electoral battel in the state. The constituency has become a national attention due to alleged atrocities on women and land grabs by the local TMC leaders. The BJP capitalizing on these issues has nominated Rekha Patra, a local Sandeshkhali protestors.
Jaynagar Lok Sabha Constituency:
The Jaynagar constituency remained a Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) stronghold in the past and since 2014 TMC Pratima Mondal has won the constituency. Nearly 35.57 percent of voters are Muslim, 30.2 percent are SC, and 1.2 percent are ST, according to the 2011 census.
Mathurapur Lok Sabha Constituency:
Choudhury Mohan Jatua, an 85-year-old TMC candidate, broke the CPI (M)”s 25-year winning run in 2009. Mr. Jatua received 7.2 lakh votes in the 2019 elections, compared to 5.2 lakh for BJP candidate Shyama Prasad Halder. The constituency”s population is divided in half between the Muslim community (35.57 percent) and the SC population (30.2%).
Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency:
Until now, the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency was a longtime stronghold of the CPI (M). However, Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee”s nephew, has been elected to the parliament since 2014. During this election campaign, the Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee is boasting of “Diamond Harbour Model”- which is a concotion of welfare scheme for the elderly, health facilities, education, covid-19 supprot, developmental projects worth thousands of crores. However, BJP targeted the ruling party by saying its undemocratic, and saying it a laboratory of violence. The vote bank of Banerjee widened in the last elections, the result will show whether people are satisfied with the Diamond Harbour model or not.
Jadavpur Lok Sabha Constituency:
MPs from different political parties including CPI (M), Congress, and TMC have been elected from Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat in the past. In Jadavpur women voters are more than men and Mamata Banerjee”s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will play a pivotal role here. BJP face tough competiton here however, PM Modi”s campaign can play a critical importance and could help the party increase its vote share. The party promose to increase Lakshmir Bhandar scheme payout can also help BJP to gain a bit from Jadavpur. However, problems of waterlogging, lack of civic aminities, drinking water issue and healthcare will dominate the polls in Jadavpur.
Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha Constituency:
Mamata Banerjee was re-elected in 1991, 2004 and 2009, keeping her position.After taking on the position of Chief Minister, she left the position. However, the corruption charges, women security issues have taken over the poll this year in the constituency but Mamata Banerjee factor remains to play a major role in TMC”s win in Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha Constituency.
Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha Constituency:
During the general election of 2019, Sudip Bandopadhyay received 49.96 percent of the vote. Here the BJP is putting all the efforts to win as the Tapas Roy the current BJP candidate is considered as a promising one as he is said to have garnered wider support from TMC councillers also.
